resign

American  

[ri-zahyn] / rɪˈzaɪn /

verb (used without object)

1. to give up an office or position, often formally (often followed byfrom ).

   to resign from the presidency.

   Synonyms:

   withdraw

2. to submit; yield.

   to resign before the inevitable.

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verb (used with object)

1. to give up (an office, position, etc.), often formally.

   Synonyms:

   leave, quit, renounce, abdicate

2. to relinquish (a right, claim, agreement, etc.).

   Synonyms:

   cede, surrender, give up, forgo

3. to give or sign over, as to the control or care of another.

   She resigned her child to an adoption agency.

4. to submit (oneself, one's mind, etc.) without resistance.

resign British  

/ rɪˈzaɪn /

verb

1. to give up tenure of (a job, office, etc)

2. (tr) to reconcile (oneself) to; yield

   to resign oneself to death

3. (tr) to give up (a right, claim, etc); relinquish

   he resigned his claim to the throne

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Usage

What does resign mean? Resign most commonly means to give up one’s job or position. When used this way, resign can be used without an object, as in He resigned yesterday, or with one, as in She is expected to resign her position. In its general sense, resign means to yield or submit, as in When he knew he couldn’t possibly win the match, he decided to resign. Example: They say he resigned on his own, but I think he was forced out.

Other Word Forms

• resigner noun

Etymology

Origin of resign

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English resignen, from Middle French resigner, from Latin resignāre “to open, release, cancel,” literally, “to seal back,” from re- re- + signāre “to mark, seal” ( sign )

Example Sentences

Earlier on Thursday, Diaz-Canel told US-based NBC News that he would not resign under US pressure.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

He is also expected to resign from the company’s board of directors, a person with knowledge of the matter said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

Some 30,000 properties had no water at the height of the issues, with many taps dry for multiple days, during which Hinton faced calls to resign.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

The ridiculous charges were clearly designed to make Mr. Powell’s life miserable in the hope that he would resign.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

President Higinbotham said he would resign before he would cede such power to anyone.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson